


Eclipse

by BeyondFandoms



Series: Radio Science [2]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Angst, Autistic Cecil, Autistic Kevin, Carlos is Autistic, Fluff, I love my autistic boys, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 14:09:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11876172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeyondFandoms/pseuds/BeyondFandoms
Summary: An eclipse of sorts occurs in Night Vale, with enlightening effects for our boys.





	Eclipse

**Author's Note:**

> This all happened because of the eclipse on 08/21/2017.

Kevin peeked nervously through the curtain, then hastily pushed it back in place. It was far too bright in Night Vale today.

"Carlos...?" he called shakily.

"Yes, sunshine?" Carlos responded from the makeshift lab he'd set up in the spare room. (It was his home lab — as if he didn't already spend enough time working!)

"I– I think you should take a look outside... I don't know what's happening, but it's really bright out and the moon's all red..."

"Bright and red?" Carlos questioned, entering the living room. "It's literally _always_ night here. Scientifically speaking, I'm fairly sure that's why this place is called Night Vale. And as for red... Well, I am scientifically certain that that is not the colour the moon should be."

"Yeah, I know. That's why it's so scary..."

"Scary?" Carlos looked over at Kevin, but the embarrassed radio host wouldn't meet his eyes. Kevin didn't know if he wanted to talk about it or not yet, but he remembered a similar event taking place once in Desert Bluffs.

"Let me have a look," Carlos said, crossing to the window. He pushed back the curtain a moment before turning back to Kevin with an excited expression. "Amazing! I have to get outside and record this!"

Kevin followed Carlos as he rushed to his home lab. "What do you mean? It's unnatural!"

"Exactly! It's an anomaly! I've never witnessed this before in my life and I _cannot_ just let the opportunity pass by! Oh, this is _so_ exciting!"

"But... What _is_ it?"

"It's a lunar eclipse!" Carlos, having collected all his materials, rushed from his lab and out into the yard, almost dropping everything in his haste to get through the door. "I've always been either too busy working or asleep when they happened, but now I can finally see one!"

Carlos then began talking into his recording and taking pictures of the moon. Kevin, deciding that Carlos would be of no help in this time, sat on the front steps of the apartment and called Cecil.

"Hello?" came Cecil's voice through the phone.

"Hey," Kevin said. He wasn't sure exactly what he wanted to say to Cecil, but he knew he needed to be talking to _someone_ right now and evidently, his boyfriend was not that someone. "Um... Are you on your way home yet?"

"Yeah, just stuck in traffic 'cos eveyone's staring at the weird red moon. Why?"

"I– It's nothing I just– Can you maybe hurry somehow and get here faster?"

"Is something wrong?"

Kevin paused, weighing his options, and decided lying wouldn't help him in any way. "I'm scared, Cecil."

There was a pause and Kevin wondered if maybe he should've just said he was fine. Then, "Let me find a bloodstone circle; I'll be right there."

Within moments, Cecil was standing next to Kevin on the doorstep. Cecil sat next to Kevin and turned to him.

"Are you okay with touches right now?" Kevin nodded, and Cecil draped an arm across Kevin's shoulders. Kevin leaned into him, resting his head on Cecil's shoulder.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Cecil asked. Kevin sighed, unsure of what to say. When there was no other response, Cecil added, "We'll just wait it out like this, then."

And like that they stayed until the lunar eclipse had run its course. They both helped Carlos carry his things back to the home lab, doing their best to avoid dropping anything. Once finished, they all sat together on the couch, both Cecil and Carlos seeming to have the same idea: Kevin was in need of cuddles.

The physical affection made Kevin giggle a bit, though he always did when he truly enjoyed something. He gave them both a kiss and blushed a deep gold, realising he'd never kissed Cecil before. Cecil's face flushed a deep violet hue, but he smiled nonetheless.

"Cute," Carlos commented, kissing his boyfriend, then his husband. Both blushed even deeper at Carlos's affections.

"I love you both," Kevin said, leaning back against Cecil and Carlos's arms.

"I love you, too," Cecil and Carlos said simultaneously, and Cecil blushed again, because though he'd never said it to Kevin before, he knew it was true. Kevin smiled, a big, real smile, gold tattoos glowing and traveling across his skin to reach Cecil and Carlos. His tattoos traveled over the other two men, glowing all the while. Cecil's moved off as well, glowing a lovely violet, and making their way across Carlos and Kevin. All were delighted at the affectionate exchange, one they all knew only happened with those one loved dearly.

"Not to ruin the moment," Carlos began in a tone that fully insinuated he was about to ruin the moment, "but what were you so upset about earlier?"

Kevin looked off toward the far wall. Some things — most things— were easier said when one isn't looking at those with whom they're speaking. "I just– A similar thing happened back in Desert Bluffs once, and I was reminded of that, is all..."

"What was it?" Cecil inquired.

"Y'know how it's always night in Night Vale and it's always day in Desert Bluffs?" Cecil and Carlos both nodded. "Well, one day, there was a bit of time where it... wasn't daytime for a while. The sky was all dark and the Sun was only a small ring of light around a huge black centre. By the time the Sun came back, Desert Bluffs wasn't really Desert Bluffs anymore."

"What do you mean?" Carlos asked, not fully understanding Kevin's story. Cecil understood, though. He remembered another time, many years ago, when the moon was bright and red and afterwards, they'd gotten frightening news from Desert Bluffs.

"Do you mean when StrexCorp took over Desert Bluffs?" Cecil asked.

"Yeah," Kevin confided, now looking down at the floor. "They came while everything was stopped. All the citizens of Desert Bluffs were looking about in confusion, paralyzed with fear. But it wasn't fear of Strex. Nobody but me noticed them coming. They were all too busy with the sudden night-time. Only I saw them. Only I was fighting. And I– I didn't win, Cecil. I didn't win. I failed them all, I—"

"That's enough of that," Carlos interrupted, as Kevin has started to cry. "That wasn't your fault, Kevin. One man can't possibly take on such an expansive company all by himself. Strex came at Desert Bluffs when the town was at its weakest. That's what they _do_ because they aren't strong enough to take anything otherwise."

"Carlos is right," Cecil agreed. "If StrexCorp really had all the power they wanted you to think they did, they wouldn't have had to wait until everyone was basically incapacitated to take over. This was _never_ your fault."

Kevin took a deep breath, subduing his tears. "Thanks," he said softly. "I don't know that I believe that, but thanks."

"We'll work on it," Carlos related. "You don't have to believe us yet. It's a process, undoing everything they did to you. But we'll be by your side through all of it."

"You will?"

"Of course!" Cecil exclaimed. "We _care about you_ , Kevin. A lot, actually."

Kevin grinned. "I care about you both, too. And I'm glad you're willing to stay with me through all this. It won't be easy..."

"We wouldn't expect it to be," Carlos assured. "Nothing is ever easy. We'll all get through it. It may take a few tries, but we will."

"I know, I know. I love you both."

"We love you, too."

**Author's Note:**

> If you really liked this, please consider either [commissioning me](https://lessonsinsilence.tumblr.com/commissions) or [supporting my work](https://ko-fi.com/lessonsinsilence)!


End file.
